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Dracula: The Original 1897 Edition
Prepare to experience Bram Stoker's classic horror masterpiece, Dracula, in a whole new way with this stunning edition. As you journey with Jonathan Harker to Transylvania to finalize a real estate transaction with the mysterious Count Dracula, you'll be drawn deeper into a world of bloodthirsty creatures of the night. This gripping tale is brought to life through vivid, detailed illustrations that capture the eerie atmosphere and haunting characters of Stoker's iconic novel. From the Gothic castle where Dracula resides to the streets of London where the heroes fight for their lives, each scene is beautifully depicted with a richness and depth that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Follow Harker and a band of heroes as they race to stop Dracula from unleashing his deadly powers on the world, and discover the chilling secrets that lie within the pages of this masterpiece. Whether you're a die-hard horror fan or a first-time reader of Dracula, this illustrated edition is sure to be a spine-tingling delight. Don't miss your chance to experience the ultimate edition of one of the most iconic horror novels of all time. Get your copy of Dracula today and immerse yourself in the gripping, unforgettable story of one man's battle against the forces of darkness.
230 pages, Paperback
Published March 30, 2023
46 people are currently reading
128 people want to read
About the author
Bram Stoker
2,605 books5,860 followersIrish-born Abraham Stoker, known as Bram, of Britain wrote the gothic horror novel
Dracula
(1897).
The feminist Charlotte Mathilda Blake Thornely Stoker at 15 Marino crescent, then as now called "the crescent," in Fairview, a coastal suburb of Dublin, Ireland, bore this third of seven children. The parents, members of church of Ireland, attended the parish church of Saint John the Baptist, located on Seafield road west in Clontarf with their baptized children.
Stoker, an invalid, started school at the age of seven years in 1854, when he made a complete and astounding recovery. Of this time, Stoker wrote, "I was naturally thoughtful, and the leisure of long illness gave opportunity for many thoughts which were fruitful according to their kind in later years."
After his recovery, he, a normal young man, even excelled as a university athlete at Trinity college, Dublin form 1864 to 1870 and graduated with honors in mathematics. He served as auditor of the college historical society and as president of the university philosophical society with his first paper on "Sensationalism in Fiction and Society."
In 1876, while employed as a civil servant in Dublin, Stoker wrote a non-fiction book (The Duties of Clerks of Petty Sessions in Ireland, published 1879) and theatre reviews for The Dublin Mail, a newspaper partly owned by fellow horror writer J. Sheridan Le Fanu. His interest in theatre led to a lifelong friendship with the English actor Henry Irving. He also wrote stories, and in 1872 "The Crystal Cup" was published by the London Society, followed by "The Chain of Destiny" in four parts in The Shamrock.
In 1878 Stoker married Florence Balcombe, a celebrated beauty whose former suitor was Oscar Wilde. The couple moved to London, where Stoker became business manager (at first as acting-manager) of Irving's Lyceum Theatre, a post he held for 27 years. The collaboration with Irving was very important for Stoker and through him he became involved in London's high society, where he met, among other notables, James McNeil Whistler, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In the course of Irving's tours, Stoker got the chance to travel around the world.
The Stokers had one son, Irving Noel, who was born on December 31, 1879.
People cremated the body of Bram Stoker and placed his ashes placed in a display urn at Golders green crematorium. After death of Irving Noel Stoker in 1961, people added his ashes to that urn. Despite the original plan to keep ashes of his parents together, after death, people scattered ashes of Florence Stoker at the gardens of rest.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bram_Stoker
The feminist Charlotte Mathilda Blake Thornely Stoker at 15 Marino crescent, then as now called "the crescent," in Fairview, a coastal suburb of Dublin, Ireland, bore this third of seven children. The parents, members of church of Ireland, attended the parish church of Saint John the Baptist, located on Seafield road west in Clontarf with their baptized children.
Stoker, an invalid, started school at the age of seven years in 1854, when he made a complete and astounding recovery. Of this time, Stoker wrote, "I was naturally thoughtful, and the leisure of long illness gave opportunity for many thoughts which were fruitful according to their kind in later years."
After his recovery, he, a normal young man, even excelled as a university athlete at Trinity college, Dublin form 1864 to 1870 and graduated with honors in mathematics. He served as auditor of the college historical society and as president of the university philosophical society with his first paper on "Sensationalism in Fiction and Society."
In 1876, while employed as a civil servant in Dublin, Stoker wrote a non-fiction book (The Duties of Clerks of Petty Sessions in Ireland, published 1879) and theatre reviews for The Dublin Mail, a newspaper partly owned by fellow horror writer J. Sheridan Le Fanu. His interest in theatre led to a lifelong friendship with the English actor Henry Irving. He also wrote stories, and in 1872 "The Crystal Cup" was published by the London Society, followed by "The Chain of Destiny" in four parts in The Shamrock.
In 1878 Stoker married Florence Balcombe, a celebrated beauty whose former suitor was Oscar Wilde. The couple moved to London, where Stoker became business manager (at first as acting-manager) of Irving's Lyceum Theatre, a post he held for 27 years. The collaboration with Irving was very important for Stoker and through him he became involved in London's high society, where he met, among other notables, James McNeil Whistler, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In the course of Irving's tours, Stoker got the chance to travel around the world.
The Stokers had one son, Irving Noel, who was born on December 31, 1879.
People cremated the body of Bram Stoker and placed his ashes placed in a display urn at Golders green crematorium. After death of Irving Noel Stoker in 1961, people added his ashes to that urn. Despite the original plan to keep ashes of his parents together, after death, people scattered ashes of Florence Stoker at the gardens of rest.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bram_Stoker
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 15, 2024
Its really interesting but I read a shorter version of it, which made it all a bit plain
September 24, 2025
Classic. But it could have been shorter.
October 17, 2024
Stayed up way past my bedtime to finish this classic! Shockingly contemporary, “Dracula” was a fun, thrilling read. Written from the perspectives of various characters, Stoker introduces us to the brilliant team who seeks to understand (and kill) the Count.
The first quarter of the book was totally enthralling, the next was spooky and solemn, and the last half was kind of a Hardy Boys adventure. I realize calling a vampire book “improbable” isn’t much of a hot take, but still… Arthur staking Lucy, with little convincing other than “Van Helsing said so”? The whole team immediately on board with the notion of vampires? I found most characterizations a bit flimsy, with everyone sharing the same brand of stoicism and most diarists having near-identical writing styles.
That said, Stoker writes a vivid, quick-moving story in ~460 pages, and I’m thankful to have read the original book.
The first quarter of the book was totally enthralling, the next was spooky and solemn, and the last half was kind of a Hardy Boys adventure. I realize calling a vampire book “improbable” isn’t much of a hot take, but still… Arthur staking Lucy, with little convincing other than “Van Helsing said so”? The whole team immediately on board with the notion of vampires? I found most characterizations a bit flimsy, with everyone sharing the same brand of stoicism and most diarists having near-identical writing styles.
That said, Stoker writes a vivid, quick-moving story in ~460 pages, and I’m thankful to have read the original book.
April 23, 2024
Dracula did nothing wrong.
October 30, 2025
I'm giving this one a 4/5 stars. The story is a classic for a reason, but personally? It's not a re-read for me.
August 9, 2023
I have to admit I thought this was going to be a significantly more difficult read for me. I was pleasantly surprised. It was a decently fun romp and I wasn't hindered by troubling time period language struggles. There were some weird antiquated gender ideas but all told I actually enjoyed this book. Who knew!
May 23, 2025
Dracula is such an iconic figure that I postponed reading the original novel for decades. Dracula actually holds the Guinness world record of the most portrayed literary character in film – 538 movies in August 2015, and the last decade must have added a few dozen. I was only 14 when I read Stephen King’s “Salem’s Lot”, which scared the living daylight out of me as I realized the vampire could hover before my bedroom window and hypnotize me to invite him in. Since then, I must have seen at least 50 appearances of Dracula, in the Nosferatu of Murnau, Herzog, and lately Eggers, in the Hammer movies with Christopher Lee, in comedies with Leslie Nielsen and Nicolas Cage, and of course in the eponymous adaptation of Coppola.
Vampires are probably the most interesting monsters in horror movies. Compared to mindless zombies and beastly werewolves, the vampire has the wisdom of centuries, the romantic charisma of passion, the strength of giants, and immortality with a twist. Were it not for their diet and undead nature, an existence as a vampire would be appealing.
But enough about the enormous legacy of Stoker’s work. The book that started it all has an epistolary format, with Bram Stoker going to some lengths to ensure that the contents of diaries and recordings are neatly typed out by Wilhelmina so that all are in the know about what has happened before. There is also a lot of signposting in the novel, so that readers do not miss out on any of the provided hints. The constant highlighting of the bite marks in the neck is one, but with Van Helsing holding back his knowledge until the time Is ripe, it is hard not to be shouting “It’s a vampire!” at the hapless investigators by the time you reach the second half.
The lore of Dracula in the original is a bit different from what has become commonplace in movies. Dracula does lack a reflection, dislikes garlic, changes into bats and hounds and requires a stake through the heart and a beheading to find eternal rest. He must be invited in before entering a house and can extend his immortality to his chosen ones by sharing his blood. But he can also walk in the daylight, and more emphasis is put on the inability to cross running water. The eye for legal detail and clever distribution scheme of the boxes with native earth demonstrates an advanced experience with logistics, this vampire keeping things real and practical.
I particularly enjoyed the major role handed to Renfield, always a favorite of mine in movies. Mina is delightful as ever, albeit it is hard not to see Winona Ryder hopping about. Jonathan Harker is much more of a tragic and fanatical figure than in the movies, deranged throughout by trauma and feverishly desperate to kill Dracula. Quincey is also much more part of the gang, having been on several adventures with the other young men, and taking care of the menial jobs like getting horses and walking around with rifles. It all feels as “The fabulous five confront the undead vampire” at times, but I’ll take it as it is. I was slightly disappointed by Van Helsing, whom I had expected to be quirkier, but I did appreciate his subtle and consistent “off” use of English as a Dutchman throughout the book.
The story drags on a bit too long, with an endless pursuit worthy of an adventure novel to eventually catch up with the monster upon reaching the castle in Transylvania.
Was it great literature? Probably not. It was fun to read, and I am glad to have finally read the original. It is easy to see how this figure would inspire movie makers barely a quarter century later, and how this superhuman has remained a favorite of audiences ever since. It might prove to be hard to find a ten-year-old anywhere in the world who will not show an imitation of fangs when asked about the count, and that is a literary triumph in itself.
Vampires are probably the most interesting monsters in horror movies. Compared to mindless zombies and beastly werewolves, the vampire has the wisdom of centuries, the romantic charisma of passion, the strength of giants, and immortality with a twist. Were it not for their diet and undead nature, an existence as a vampire would be appealing.
But enough about the enormous legacy of Stoker’s work. The book that started it all has an epistolary format, with Bram Stoker going to some lengths to ensure that the contents of diaries and recordings are neatly typed out by Wilhelmina so that all are in the know about what has happened before. There is also a lot of signposting in the novel, so that readers do not miss out on any of the provided hints. The constant highlighting of the bite marks in the neck is one, but with Van Helsing holding back his knowledge until the time Is ripe, it is hard not to be shouting “It’s a vampire!” at the hapless investigators by the time you reach the second half.
The lore of Dracula in the original is a bit different from what has become commonplace in movies. Dracula does lack a reflection, dislikes garlic, changes into bats and hounds and requires a stake through the heart and a beheading to find eternal rest. He must be invited in before entering a house and can extend his immortality to his chosen ones by sharing his blood. But he can also walk in the daylight, and more emphasis is put on the inability to cross running water. The eye for legal detail and clever distribution scheme of the boxes with native earth demonstrates an advanced experience with logistics, this vampire keeping things real and practical.
I particularly enjoyed the major role handed to Renfield, always a favorite of mine in movies. Mina is delightful as ever, albeit it is hard not to see Winona Ryder hopping about. Jonathan Harker is much more of a tragic and fanatical figure than in the movies, deranged throughout by trauma and feverishly desperate to kill Dracula. Quincey is also much more part of the gang, having been on several adventures with the other young men, and taking care of the menial jobs like getting horses and walking around with rifles. It all feels as “The fabulous five confront the undead vampire” at times, but I’ll take it as it is. I was slightly disappointed by Van Helsing, whom I had expected to be quirkier, but I did appreciate his subtle and consistent “off” use of English as a Dutchman throughout the book.
The story drags on a bit too long, with an endless pursuit worthy of an adventure novel to eventually catch up with the monster upon reaching the castle in Transylvania.
Was it great literature? Probably not. It was fun to read, and I am glad to have finally read the original. It is easy to see how this figure would inspire movie makers barely a quarter century later, and how this superhuman has remained a favorite of audiences ever since. It might prove to be hard to find a ten-year-old anywhere in the world who will not show an imitation of fangs when asked about the count, and that is a literary triumph in itself.
December 23, 2024
"The end all be all of Vampire novels, Stoker's Dracula is not only unique since it deals dark fantasy and it must have been quite shocking when it was first published, but the way that Stoker writes it, through journal entries and newspaper clippings really gave the story a fun, interesting vibe. I'm glad I re-read this, though the text in this graphic novel was miniscule, so glasses were a must."
5 Stars
Pros: The end all be all of Vampire books, I mean, it's Dracula/Stoker definitely made it interesting, keeping the narrative as journals/diaries and newspaper clippings.
Cons: The print in this edition was so small that I could only read a bit at a time or else, migraine.
Jonathan Harker has traveled to Transylvania to help Count Dracula finish his paperwork as he buys a plot of land in England. Soon, what Harker though was a normal business trip to an unusual country, turns into a nightmare. Harker comes to realize that Dracula is not an ordinary man and that the Count has done everything in his power to make it so Harker will not leave that Castle alive.
Meanwhile, Mina, Jonathan's fiancée is living in London and trading letters with her good friend, Lucy Westenra. Lucy's been the lucky recipient of three engagements in one day and their letters continue in this way until the mysterious Count arrives in England. One night, while Mina is visiting Lucy, she realizes that Lucy's been sleep walking and has managed to make her way all the way up to a small bench of a cliffs edge that they visited during the day. Once Mina goes to find her, she notices a shadow near Lucy but once she gets close, it disappears. Mina brings Lucy home and at first, is hopeful that her friend just had a very elaborate dream that set her traipsing about the English countryside at night.
At that moment, Mina receives a telegram from a convent in Transylvania saying that they have Jonathan. He's been very ill but he's starting to come out of it and Mina must come at once. So, Mina leaves to be with Jonathan and unfortunately, Lucy's health begins to fail. One of the men who proposed to her, Dr. John Seward, is still a good friend and does his best to care for Lucy. He calls upon the knowledge of his old mentor, Professor Abraham Van Helsing.
It's quickly apparent that something is very wrong with Lucy. And thus, begins the classic Vampire tale. It was definitely interesting to re-read this novel since I hadn't read it since my school days. Though Stoker's way of telling the story, through diary entries etc, was interesting, I thought it would have been interesting to see some of the narrative from Dracula's POV. But, what Stoker gave the reader was enough and I'm glad I read it. It was like visiting an old friend.
5 Stars
Pros: The end all be all of Vampire books, I mean, it's Dracula/Stoker definitely made it interesting, keeping the narrative as journals/diaries and newspaper clippings.
Cons: The print in this edition was so small that I could only read a bit at a time or else, migraine.
Jonathan Harker has traveled to Transylvania to help Count Dracula finish his paperwork as he buys a plot of land in England. Soon, what Harker though was a normal business trip to an unusual country, turns into a nightmare. Harker comes to realize that Dracula is not an ordinary man and that the Count has done everything in his power to make it so Harker will not leave that Castle alive.
Meanwhile, Mina, Jonathan's fiancée is living in London and trading letters with her good friend, Lucy Westenra. Lucy's been the lucky recipient of three engagements in one day and their letters continue in this way until the mysterious Count arrives in England. One night, while Mina is visiting Lucy, she realizes that Lucy's been sleep walking and has managed to make her way all the way up to a small bench of a cliffs edge that they visited during the day. Once Mina goes to find her, she notices a shadow near Lucy but once she gets close, it disappears. Mina brings Lucy home and at first, is hopeful that her friend just had a very elaborate dream that set her traipsing about the English countryside at night.
At that moment, Mina receives a telegram from a convent in Transylvania saying that they have Jonathan. He's been very ill but he's starting to come out of it and Mina must come at once. So, Mina leaves to be with Jonathan and unfortunately, Lucy's health begins to fail. One of the men who proposed to her, Dr. John Seward, is still a good friend and does his best to care for Lucy. He calls upon the knowledge of his old mentor, Professor Abraham Van Helsing.
It's quickly apparent that something is very wrong with Lucy. And thus, begins the classic Vampire tale. It was definitely interesting to re-read this novel since I hadn't read it since my school days. Though Stoker's way of telling the story, through diary entries etc, was interesting, I thought it would have been interesting to see some of the narrative from Dracula's POV. But, what Stoker gave the reader was enough and I'm glad I read it. It was like visiting an old friend.
July 17, 2025
This book was larger than I expected, but for the time period this was written in, it had its moments where it conveyed how chilling Dracula could be. I enjoyed the format of which it was written, the way it was just a collection of written diaries and logs of our main character. Although because of this format the ending of Dracula felt almost anti-climactic in a way because obviously we're getting a retelling of the story after it is happening prior. I enjoyed this one way more than Frankenstein even if there were a lot of slow world building nuance.
September 12, 2023
Great classic. Engaging narrative with interesting characters. There were things that puzzled me (notably why Van Helsing, who is supposed to be Dutch, speaks German sometimes but never Dutch) and intrigued me (how fast travel was between Amsterdam and the UK, given Van Helsing's trips back and forth), but the story remained interesting till the end. Dracula is one of the great evil characters in literature.
December 9, 2025
sometimes you read a classic and instantly understand why it has withstood the sands of time and triumphed in celebration.
might genuinely be one of the most profound and feminist stories i’ve read and its persistence in providing such depth to its characters is lost on modern interpretations. many can learn such beauty from reading this novel! this book has shifted my lexicon and modes of speech!
might genuinely be one of the most profound and feminist stories i’ve read and its persistence in providing such depth to its characters is lost on modern interpretations. many can learn such beauty from reading this novel! this book has shifted my lexicon and modes of speech!
June 26, 2023
Excellent Read
Still the ageless classic, the annotated version provides readers w.with new insights into the backstory of the world's most famous vampire and those committed to its destruction. Well worth the read.
Still the ageless classic, the annotated version provides readers w.with new insights into the backstory of the world's most famous vampire and those committed to its destruction. Well worth the read.
October 27, 2024
I’m so glad I read this book. I went in to it knowing the basic story, but not the whole story. Such a delightful surprise how good it was. How this story has stood the test of time.
November 9, 2025
I enjoyed the book giving different perspective of multiple people that eventually tied together, but the book was extremely long-winded.
December 24, 2025
The audible version with a full cast was so good
November 8, 2023
Well that was certainly something! XD I have mixed feelings about this book. It was definitely better then the movie adaptation (no forced werewolf "intimacy" here THANK GOD) but this one i may have built up too high in my mind. First off, not a fan of the diary style, it makes the pacing seem to drag and I don't even believe its a genuine thing. I also think reading Phantom of the Opera first hurt this books rating for me as Leroux does a much better and consistent job at presenting his facts. There were a few instances in this book were a character says something only to then immediately contradict themselves which kills any hope of believability for what to me was already a rather tall tale. But that being said its still cool to read the original vampire story that almost all of pop culture is based on and I learned alot of cool Latin sayings along the way xD also idk if this version is abridged or not, my book doesn't say, but it is certainly NOT illustrated so don't let goodreads fool you. Tldr: Thank you for the cool ground breaking vampire story Mr. Stoker, it was interesting but sadly I don't believe a word, and I kinda wanted to no lie xD
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews